Terming it as a human rights violation, an Odisha-based rights organisation has opposed chemical castration as suggested by some sections of the society.

THE INDIA Media Centre (IMC), which is also a petitioner before National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in Delhi gang rape case and police brutality on anti-rape rally at India Gate and Jantar Mantar, wrote to the Justice J.S. Verma Committee not to introduce chemical castration for rapists as it is human rights violation of a living being.

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The organization has, however, suggested death penalty for rapists, as it is a demand of every country man. Rights activist Mr. Akhand on behalf of IMC has submitted the suggestion before Justice Verma Committee, setup by government to review rape laws.

He said: “Chemical castration is a serious violation of Human Rights of the convict because the punishment involves reducing the sexual aggressiveness of a convict by injecting drugs forcefully.”

It also causes side-effects like loss of bone density, osteoporosis, reduced muscle mass, increased risk of heart diseases and behavioral problems. If offenders take hormone depressants continuously, they can get illnesses like depression, hyper cholesterol, liver damage, decreased bone density, and diabetes. For these reasons, it is barely required, demanded the petitioner in his letter to the committee.

The United States, Denmark, Poland, The Czech Republic, Germany, Sweden, Finland, Norway, and Argentina carry this law, and in these countries, chemical injection is conducted on the principle of voluntary agreement. But this voluntary method may be misused by the executing officials in India. Because jail torture and custodial torture is a major concern in Indian jails and police stations, the petitioner alleged.

High Expenditure:

The letter said: “For one injection of chemical castration the cost is more than 25 thousand rupees. Again this injection only works for three months time so chemical castration is not effective, keeping in view the enormously high costs.”